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The girl standing before him was definitely wearing a nun's habit—but the casual kind, the sort worn in everyday life.
It wasn't the sort of outfit that drew much attention, but Jack recognized it at once from the subtle religious embroidery stitched into the fabric.
A white veil rested gently over her head, framing her long, golden hair that gleamed beneath it. Her eyes were clear and pure, her face delicate and beautiful, like a sculpture crafted by divine hands.
Just looking at her made him feel an almost overwhelming sense of holiness.
So pure it was almost unreal.
Jack narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze falling to the silver cross pendant hanging from her chest.
Of course… she was from the Church.
His instincts immediately went on alert.
He was a demon now—and the girl in front of him, a member of the Church. Enemy territory.
As she rose to her feet, he quietly took a half-step back, careful not to draw attention to it.
"Um…"
The girl looked at him with a shy, uneasy expression. "I think I'm lost… Could you help me, please?"
…Did I hear that right? You want help from a demon?
Also—purely hypothetically—how much would a Church nun even sell for?
Asking for a friend.
Online. Urgent.
"Is this your first time in Shindu?" Jack asked softly.
"Yes," she nodded, hands nervously clasped. "I was just assigned to the Church here, but I'm not familiar with the area yet. I'm so sorry to bother you. May the Almighty bless this kind gentleman before me."
She bowed politely.
Even from that short exchange, Jack could see it—her sincerity, her innocence, her faith. None of it seemed fake.
He'd always assumed angels and their kind were all pretentious hypocrites, but apparently not all of them fit that mold.
Still, he was a demon. Better not get involved. Best to send her on her way quickly.
"I know where the Church is," he said casually. "I can take you there."
"That would be wonderful! Thank you so much!"
She smiled brightly, her big eyes curving into perfect crescent moons.
The Church happened to be in roughly the same direction as his home anyway, so they walked together for a while. When his own house came into view, he pointed ahead.
"See that intersection up there? From there you'll spot the Church in the distance. Just follow the main road and you'll get there. I'll stop here."
"Thank you so much! I can't believe I met such a kind person right after arriving in Shindu. The Almighty truly blesses me."
…Excuse me? Kind?
No, no. Use proper adjectives next time—like "devious," "cunning," "untrustworthy."
Jack grumbled internally, though he kept his expression calm. "No problem. Take care."
"Goodbye."
She paused suddenly, as if remembering something. "Oh—by the way, my name is Asia Argento. But please, just call me Asia. I still don't know your name."
"…I'm Jack."
"Mr. Jack," she said gently. "I'll be sure to pray for you when I speak to the Lord."
Her soft smile and earnest tone nearly made him choke.
You're going to pray… for a demon?
How touching. Really. Thanks.
"…Then I'll be counting on you, Asia."
He watched the pure, golden-haired girl disappear down the road, deep in thought.
A new nun at the Church, huh.
Probably nothing to worry about. She didn't seem like the troublesome type.
Still, to be safe, he should probably mention her to Rias when he had the chance.
He turned back toward home.
Better get some sleep early tonight. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
The next morning, his alarm clock waged war against his sleep. It took thirty minutes, but he finally defeated his mortal enemy—laziness—and dragged himself out of bed.
"...What do people even wear to a date?"
Whatever.
It wasn't even a real date.
He glanced through his closet and pulled out a denim jacket at random.
When he looked in the mirror, any lingering drowsiness vanished instantly.
Damn. He was looking good.
Hopping on his bike, he rode to the meeting spot. He'd arrived right on time—but Sakurajima Mai was already there waiting.
He parked his bike, locked it, and frowned slightly. "You've been here long?"
"Just got here," she replied.
"For the record, I'm not late," he said confidently.
Mai gave a small, amused look. "You think I'm the kind of girl who insists the guy always arrives first? Don't lump me in with those types."
Her tone was calm, but he could hear the faint, prideful edge beneath it.
Jack chuckled. "If every girl were as sensible as you, Mai, the world would be full of happy couples."
"Save that kind of nonsense for your dreams."
He smiled. "Funny thing—humans don't always tell the truth when they're awake. But what they say in their dreams? That's usually real."
Mai: "…"
No comeback for that one.
"Come on," she said finally. "The aquarium should be open by now."
She started walking, and he followed half a step behind, keeping pace.
For a while, she didn't say a word. From this distance, he could admire her side profile—the soft lines of her face, the calm confidence in her expression.
Today she was dressed simply: a neat white blouse with frilled edges, a checkered skirt that fell to her knees, and black stockings that accentuated her long, graceful legs.
She looked effortlessly mature, her quiet beauty drawing the eye without even trying.
Still… a knee-length skirt? Really?
Tragic.
At that exact moment, Mai turned her head—and their eyes met.
"…What's with that rude look?"
She sounded slightly defensive, and Jack couldn't help wondering if all girls had some kind of built-in radar for that.
Since he was caught anyway, he just owned it.
"Mai, isn't a date the perfect time for, you know, a short skirt? Maybe bare legs?"
"…Huh?"
She clenched her fist. "You want me to hit you?"
"Aw, and here I was hoping to see a little more of you today." He put on his best disappointed face.
"Quit it with that terrible acting."
"What if I'm actually disappointed?"
"Is there really a need to be?"
"A huge need," he said solemnly.
Mai pursed her lips, turned her head away, and muttered softly under her breath, "For your information, I actually did put some thought into what to wear today…"
Hm?
She probably thought he couldn't hear that—but he did.
He smiled faintly. "Well, for what it's worth, you look really cute."
Mai said nothing.
But her ears, just barely, turned pink.
"..."
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